Mirrored Eden
by Ashurato
Summary: **For Lynn Utsukushii** As Asellus knows, destiny can't dictate one's life. Rather than embracing mysticism, she has chosen to carve her own path by returning to simply being mortal and creating her own destiny... with Rouge.


Mirrored Eden

  


by Asurahime

  


~*~

  


**Dedicated to Lynn Utsukushii (Aoiseishin)**

  


~*~

  


Part One: Requiem's Refrain

  


~*~

  


Rain fell from the sky in torrents, as if enraged with the earth. The drops descended upon the soil unceasingly without mercy, seemingly more intent in taking life rather than providing for it. Roses as red as blood shed their colors into whites and pinks, the crimson hue being carried away by the relentless storm.

  


Charm Lord was dead. An eternal life as been extinguished and the heavens wept, whether out of grief or relief, it was impossible to differentiate. Five figures stood in the midst of the storm without any attempt for sanctuary. These five figures, once noble and proud have finally realized that they are mere pawns to the elements which ruled over life and death. For once in their lives, they could remember what it was like to be mortal.

  


The oppressing figure who has ruled over them was gone, disappearing into wilting rose petals as the illusion before them faded like the coming of dawn. But none of them felt joy or relief in the victory; rather, they felt a thick, strained tension coming from their green-haired, sword-wielding leader. Only half of what she had come for has been accomplished, but there has already been so many deaths... Ciato... Golden Lion... Rastaban......... Orlouge. Even White Rose is gone, probably trapped inside the Dark Labyrinth forever now that its master has perished. Such sacrifices that couldn't have been avoided. And now, there has yet to be one more death to seal the bargain, but this death will not be in the hands of another, but by the hand of the condemned. One last and only suicide.

  


"Will you really go through with it?" asked Zozma. His smile was mocking, but the turmoil in his cat-like crimson eyes betrayed his true feelings. The rebel mystic may talk a lot, but something this serious affects him so much more than he would ever confess.

  


The only half-mystic in the group gazed at him with blank vermilion eyes, violet blood streaming down her face from a wound on her forehead. "Are you going to try and stop me if I said yes?"

  


Ildon scoffed as he wiped his sword clean of the late Charm Lord's blood. He never could stand such dramatic interludes as how his former student was acting right now. "Do you actually think that any of us can stop you... or are willing to? You have taken down Charm Lord and it is no one's right to dictate to you anymore. Have either Princess White Rose or I taught you nothing?"

  


"What are you talking about?"

  


Rei laid a hand on the half-mystic's shoulder in a comforting yet stern gesture. "What Ildon is talking about refers to mystic death and reincarnation into mortality, like I did."

  


Silence gave a start, his monarch butterfly wings fluttering to reflect his consternation. Although he chose to remain silent even though he had recovered his voice at the moment of Orlouge's death, he had to speak now. "Zero Princess... Lady Asellus--"

  


"My name is Rei, Silence," interrupted the dark violet haired human.

  


"I was unable to protect you when you committed suicide before, but there is no reason why Lady Asellus should have to go through the same thing."

  


The smile on Zozma's face had completely faded by this time as he pushed Ildon out of the way to get to Asellus, eyes narrowed in rising anger. He ignored the dirty look the Black Wing sent his way. "Look, you don't have to do this. Wouldn't it be all right if you stay with us here forever?"

  


"Zozma--" Rei started.

  


"I'm a joker, but I'm not a liar, lady! This place is boring enough now that there are less people to torment and I could at least try to talk the kid out of offing herself like you did."

  


Ildon walked around the two of them to the silent half-mystic, grabbed on to her arm and dragged her off the Chateau Aiguille's bridge to Kurenai's Sanctuary to escape the pouring rain and talk to her. Not a word passed between them, but it took little effort on Ildon's part to bring Asellus to speak to him. Finally reaching the sanctuary, Ildon let go of the half-mystic and turned to face her, eyes unreadable. "Talk."

  


"About what?" Asellus leaned Asura against the wall but made absolutely no move to sheathe the sentient weapon. 

  


The Black Wing waved to hand in growing annoyance, he knew that Asellus understood exactly what he was talking about. "You've been too quiet. You're thinking of something and I want to know what. Now that Orlouge is gone, what are you going to do? You could remain as you are or become a human as you were before, but you understand the price of that, don't you?"

  


Asellus averted her eyes and sighed. "Yes, death."

  


"Well?"

  


"I am not scared of death. I already died once, didn't I?" The half-mystic seemed to be talking to herself more than she was to Ildon.

  


The Prince of Darkness shook his head at his former charge. To Asellus' surprise, Ildon reached a gloved hand over and ruffled her damp hair into further disarray. It was rare that Ildon showed any sort of emotion, much less of fondness. "You would have made a wonderful mystic, Asellus. But the final choice is yours. Eternal life isn't for everyone and you can't let others influence you in this decision."

  


Crimson eyes finally looked up at him. "To be honest, I can't handle mystic life. I can't handle seeing the people I know and care for die as I just stand by and watch their lives pass without aging a year myself. But I also don't want to forget anything that has happened."

  


A strange came from Ildon, which made Asellus wonder about his sanity. "That's a curse of mysticism, Asellus. One never really forgets this life even after they have been reincarnated. Just look at Rei. You will just be reincarnated into the human world while still retaining your memories and mystic--or in your case, half-mystic--abilities. The only difference is your mortality and the fact that you are going to age."

  


A smile blossomed in Asellus' face for the first time in an eternity. "Thank you, Ildon. Second to White Rose, you did know me best. I have a feeling that I'll see you and the others again."

  


Ildon nodded solemnly, a shadow of a smile was visible in his normally frigid visage, allowing himself to open up to someone as he had never done. He had raised a sword against his best friend and overthrew his leader all for the sake of this special half-mystic. And try as he might, he did not regret any of it at all. "Of course."

  


Asellus picked up Asura without hesitation and stood on the ledge overlooking Kurenai, the Eternal Flame of Facinaturu. She stood with her back to Ildon so that he wouldn't see what she was doing. "Hello again Kurenai."

  


"A pleasure to meet you again, Lady Asellus. I trust that you are about to follow the footsteps that Zero Princess had tread so long ago?" asked a disembodied voice from walls of the cavern. "And I trust that this is by your own will?"

  


"Yes," said the half-mystic as she raised Asura with both hands. She then reversed her hold on the weapon until the point of the crimson weapon was pointing directly to her heart.

  


The voice speaking was wistful and disappointed, but it continued. "I see. In that case, no one has the right to stop you. This choice is yours and yours alone. After your reincarnation, you wake up in the human world, a mortal."

  


"Thank you, Kurenai." Without turning back, Asellus addressed Ildon one more time. "Tell everyone that I'll see you all again, Ildon. Goodbye for now." With that, she plunged the sword straight to her chest, piercing her heart and wringing a startled cry from her.

  


Ildon refused to look away from the scene before him. Since he was the only one to witness this, he would not cheapen the half-mystic's death by averting his eyes. He memorized every single detail, from how her hair shone dimly in the crystal light, the violet blood pooling much too quickly at her feet for her to survive, and the mournful sound of the rain falling outside. The heavens now truly have something to lament about...

  


"Until we meet again, my Lady."

  


Asellus fell to her knees as she pulled Asura from her chest with the last nuances of her strength, her eyesight becoming dim as she felt herself fall to the ground like a broken doll. There was so much pain, but welcome unconsciousness was pulling her deeper and deeper into its embrace. _So this is how dying feels like... I missed it the last time..._

  


**_You're dying, aren't you?_**

  


_Yes._

  


**_That's all right, you're going to be reincarnated after all. I'll still follow you._**

  


_Who or what are you?_

  


**_You gave up part of your life for me. I will stay with you forever. You can't get rid of me even if you wanted to._**

  


_But..._

  


**_Just rest now._**

  


_Thank you._

  


**_Asura will always be with you._**

  


~*~*~*~

  


Cold water trickled down the side of her face, stinging her eyes like little needles, so much like the rain. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself staring into familiar crimson eyes framed by even more familiar snow-white hair. "Where am I?"

  


"...... Asellus?"

  


Asellus' eyes quickly opened and she sat up with a jolt. She soon found out that that was a mistake as she fell back to the ground, pain lancing through every nerve of her body. Her eyes were still slightly unfocused as she saw whirls of green, blue, and white. When she finally got her orientation back, she saw three of her former acquaintances looking at her. She was in a room in the hotel in Shrike, quite recognizable since she has spent many times there.

  


The first person she saw was the man with crimson eyes and white hair, who held out a hand to help her up. "... You're Asellus, aren't you?"

  


For the life of her, she could not stop wondering why he wouldn't recognize her immediately. "Rouge?" She then turned to the other two men, one with indigo hair and the other with short black hair tied with a bandana. "Lute, Gen..."

  


Three pair of eyes widened as they glanced at each other, expressions unreadable aside from utter surprise. This was something terribly new to them. "Asellus, what happened to you?" asked Rouge again.

  


"What are you talking about?" asked Asellus in reply, brows knitting together in question.

  


Gen took off the cold cloth from the girl's forehead and tested her temperature with his right hand. Finally satisfied that she didn't have a fever, he gave her a pat on the shoulder and a grin to rival one of Zozma's.

  


Zozma... mystic... reincarnation!!

  


Lute had fetched a mirror at the corner of the room and held it up to Asellus. "This is what Rouge is talkin' about, miss. Ya didn't look like this the last time we were travelin' with ya."

  


To Asellus' surprise, she was not greeted with emerald hair and ruby eyes, but rather with golden brown hair with highlights ranging from brown to a white similar to that of Rouge's and clear emerald eyes. She looked like herself. Her old self, untarnished by the pain of mysticism and death. "So it worked... I'm human again." 

  


"I thought that you are a half-mystic." Gen leaned against the wall of the room, wringing the cloth in a bowl of cold water before wiping his hands dry.

  


"I was."

  


The magician from the Magic Kingdom whipped around upon hearing what the girl said. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What do you mean by 'was'?"

  


"Just as I meant it, I was a half-mystic but I no longer am."

  


Lute put down the mirror and sat on the floor by Asellus' bed, picking up his lute to try to ease Asellus' troubles. "But how could a mystic turn back into a human? Is that even possible?"

  


"Yes, by death," whispered the former half-mystic, closing her eyes and running her still-pale fingers through her short hair.

  


The fury which sparked in the eyes of the three men were scathing. "Somebody killed you!?" Rouge almost shouted.

  


"No, the death has to be by suicide."

  


The three could only stare at her in wonder and slight horror. But it quickly disappeared as they exchanged glances, for they knew all of the trials that Asellus had to go through from before. 

  


"It may not have been the best way, I know, but I just wanted to become human again. It is what I was first and what I will always be. I am sick and tired of seeing people die and not be able to follow them one day." Asellus rambled to herself, hiding her face in her knees, allowing herself to shed tears without the notice of the others.

  


Unfortunately, the others noticed anyway. Rouge, who has never been the emotional type, looked away politely even though a multitude of questions went through his mind. Lute and Gen followed suit and also turned, but Lute walked over to the side cabinet and took out a long object wrapped in white cloth. He then returned to Asellus' side and tapped her on the shoulder. When she finally looked up, amazingly composed, the musician held out the item. "Here missy, I believe that this belongs ta ya."

  


"What?" The former half-mystic looked at the long item wonderingly before she took it. Unwrapping the white cloth, her lips turned up in a smile when she saw that it was Asura, as crimson, sentient, and sharp as ever. "Asura..."

  


**_Asura will always be with you. We are bound by common tragedy and it will take much more than death to tear us apart._**

  


"I still have you."

  


**_Half-mystic or not, I'm part of you life._**

  


Rouge heard knocking from the door and walked up to open it. He was not surprised to see a violet-haired female in Shinto robes standing in front of him. "Zero Princess."

  


"Rei." The former mystic nodded acknowledgment as she walked into the room. She quickly turned to face the newly-reincarnated Asellus with a sad smile on her face. "Asellus."

  


Hearing her name, Asellus looked up and smiled when she saw Rei. "Rei, how did you find me so quickly?"

  


Rei gave a slightly happier smile in return. "Asura isn't the only one bound by common tragedy to you and that sword has such a clear flow of energy because it's sentient that I could easily track you."

  


"Rei!" smiled Lute when he finally realized Rei was in the room. "How is everyone doin'?"

  


"Everyone is fine, slightly traumatized that Asellus would actually follow in my footsteps, and annoyed with Ildon for being the last one to see her," replied the violet-haired girl. "Needless to say he will be smug for a few years because of that, Asellus. Why didn't you tell us?'

  


Asellus shrugged as she got out of the bed and stood up, slightly grimacing at her blood-stained mystic clothing. "It was a spur of the moment thing. I didn't really want to kill myself in front of all of you guys and I had to do it before I lost my nerve."

  


Gen sheathed the CometBlade to his side and approached the two girls. "What are you going to do now?" he asked. Rouge and Lute also listened in.

  


"I don't really know—" started the emerald-eyed girl.

  


Rei pointed a finger to Asellus before she could say anything else. "Then you are coming with me, Asellus. We need to get you some decent clothes, so you can live with me for now. Gina is already with me, wanting to know what happened to you."

  


"Gina..." whispered Asellus before nodding her consent. "But where are we going?"

  


"My family's house in Kyo." Rei turned to the three men. "Could the three of you spare some time to come with us also? I want to thank you for looking after Asellus."

  


Lute, Gen, and Rouge exchanged glanced and agreed. "We can spare some time and we can use my RegionMap and Gate spell to get us there. I already have all the magic I need and but I can tell that my brother is not quite done," said Rouge.

  


"Your brother... does he have golden-blonde hair tied up in a ponytail and blue robes?" asked Rei, amusement in her tone.

  


The crimson magician blinked, touching his untied white hair. "You know Blue?"

  


The priestess nodded. "Yes, before I came here, I was in my shrine in Devin. He asked for the way to Kylin's Paradise and with his gifts of Shadow, Rune, and Realm Magics, I granted him passage."

  


".................. So it's almost time."

  


"Rouge?" asked Asellus, wondering at his overly sober tone.

  


"It's nothing, Asellus. Let's go." But Rouge's eyes narrowed at the thought of facing his twin brother soon.

  


"You shouldn't have to kill your brother, Rouge."

  


"I love my brother, Asellus. But I can't go against destiny."

  


Asellus' new emerald eyes darkened slightly before she gave a ghost of a smile. "Rei and I had eternal life, but we still went against destiny."

  


"It's not that simple."

  


"_**You would have made a wonderful mystic, Asellus. But the final choice is yours. Eternal life isn't for everyone and you can't let others influence you in this decision."**_

  


"But what if it is, Rouge? What if it is?"

  


  


~*~*~*~

to be continued...

~*~*~*~

  


  


Disclaimers:

  


~SaGa Frontier does not belong to me but to SquareSoft and other such people who helped create the game. None of the characters belong to me either. However, this plot is mine.

  


  


Notes: (SPOILERS FOR THE ENDING OF ASELLUS' QUEST)

  


This story started with a discussion in the GameFaqs SaGa Frontier Social Board entitled "Fanfiction Fodder?" by Aoiseishin, also known as Lynn Utsukushii. We all got into a discussion about how no one was writing fanfiction about Asellus' "good" ending. Mainly because how she dies in the end. I decided to just write it and angst about it later.

For once, this is not going to be Ildon x Asellus. *listens to the gasping going around* Yeah, I know, Asura's going out of her mind. I just guessed that if she's going to be human, she might as well love another human. Since this was my--as well as Lynn's--second favorite pairing and since Sariel has expressed this inclination, I'm shoving Asellus with Rouge.

  


This story will switch leads, first Asellus then Rouge. I'd like to make this a little different than my other stories.

**I will finish this story!! This is a (pitiful) present to Lynn, and I will finish it as soon as possible!!** I know I still have two others and know that I haven't given up on them. I'm just letting my mind wander before going back. 


End file.
